City of Detroit Greenhouse Gas Inventory

125 Pages·2014·4.03 MB·English

by  Donahue, Marie

City of Detroit Greenhouse Gas Inventory:
An Analysis of Citywide and Municipal Emissions for 2011 and 2012

Preliminary Report

April 2014

By: Jill Carlson, Jenny Cooper, Marie Donahue, Max Neale, and Anis Ragland

Faculty Advisors:
Professor Gregory Keoleian
Professor Rosina Bierbaum
Robb De Kleine

An opus submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science in Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan

City of Detroit Greenhouse Gas Inventory:
An Analysis of Citywide and Municipal Emissions for 2011 and 2012

Preliminary Report, April 2014

Written by: Jill Carlson, Jenny Cooper, Marie Donahue, Max Neale, and Anis Ragland

Report submitted in fulfillment of the opus requirement for the Master of Science degree
at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment.

University of Michigan

Copyright April 2014
Advisors
Rosina Bierbaum Gregory A. Keoleian
Professor of Natural Resources & Environment Policy Director, Center for Sustainable Systems
School of Natural Resources & Environment Peter M. Wege Professor of Sustainable
School of Public Health Systems
University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Michigan
Robb De Kleine
Research Specialist, Center for Sustainable Systems
School of Natural Resources & Environment, University of Michigan

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Preface
This report, at the time of submission and release to the University of Michigan School of
Natural Resources and Environment in April 2014, presents preliminary analyses,
findings, and narrative that will continue to be internally verified and presented to our
project client, the Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, as well as the Detroit
Climate Action Collaborative and the City of Detroit, for their review and feedback. After
this review process, a final report will be publically released by the University of
Michigan’s Center for Sustainable Systems.
Suggested Report Citation
City of Detroit Greenhouse Gas Inventory: An Analysis of Citywide and Municipal
Emissions for 2011 and 2012. Preliminary Report. University of Michigan Center for
Sustainable Systems, School of Natural Resources and Environment. April 2014. Written
by: Jill Carlson, Jenny Cooper, Marie Donahue, Max Neale, and Anis Ragland.
Contact information
Project Team | [email protected]
Center for Sustainable Systems
School of Natural Resources & Environment
University of Michigan
440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

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Acknowledgements
We wish to thank the following people, who were integral to the completion and success
of this project: our visionary client, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice and
Kimberly Hill-Knott (Senior Policy Analyst), for their dedication to this project and for
leading the charge to address climate change and environmental justice in Detroit; the
Detroit Climate Action Collaborative whose work to create a Detroit Climate Action Plan
gives meaning and relevance to our work on the greenhouse gas inventory; our faculty
advisors Dr. Gregory Keoleian and Dr. Rosina Bierbaum, for their unwavering support and
guidance; the invaluable technical assistance of Robb De Kleine; guidance from Missy
Stults; the administrative assistance of Helaine Hunscher at the Center for Sustainable
Systems; as well as DTE Energy, the City of Detroit, and numerous others for their
collaboration in our research and data collection efforts.

The project received generous financial support from the University of Michigan Center
for Sustainable Systems, the DTE Energy Foundation, the University of Michigan School
of Natural Resources and Environment Master’s Project Funding, the University of
Michigan Dow Interdisciplinary Award for Sustainability, and the Erb Institute for Global
Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan.

Graphics Credits
The activity category icons, Figure 7, and Figure 8 were developed by Mason Phillips. All
other graphics and the report design were developed by the project team, led by Jill
Carlson.

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Abstract
This study develops the first comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory that
quantifies both citywide and municipal GHG emissions for the City of Detroit. The
inventory provides a baseline from which to set GHG emissions reduction targets and from
which to measure the effects of climate actions or new policy. This work complements
efforts of the Detroit Climate Action Collaborative (DCAC) to develop local strategies that
address climate change, informing the ongoing development of a formal Detroit Climate
Action Plan.

The Detroit GHG inventory accounts for emissions generated from energy use from
buildings and facilities and transportation, industrial processes, solid waste, and
wastewater treatment. Emissions sequestered by land use (specifically by Detroit’s trees)
are estimated but not included in the total emissions calculations. In addition, emissions
associated with activities under the operational control of the municipal government are
analyzed in the Municipal Government Inventory section of the report.

Using activity data collected from calendar years 2011 and 2012, the inventory accounts
for citywide totals of 10.5 million metric tons (million t) of carbon dioxide equivalents
(CO e) emitted in 2011 and 10.6 million t CO e emitted in 2012. The largest emitting
2 2
activity citywide is energy use from buildings and facilities (both electricity and natural
gas), which accounts for more than 60% of total citywide emissions in both analysis years.
The Municipal Government Inventory finds city operations emitted approximately 1.1
million t CO e in both 2011 and 2012. As a percentage of citywide, municipal emissions
2
make up approximately 10.5% of the citywide total in 2011 and approximately 10.6% in
2012.

This project recommends that the City of Detroit regularly conduct inventories, and the
final section of the report outlines suggestions for how to improve this analysis to further
aid in decision-making.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures ................................................................................................................. viii
List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... ix
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................... x
Introduction ................................................................................................................... x
Key Findings .................................................................................................................. xi
Conclusions and Next Steps ...................................................................................... xiv
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 1

Rationale for a GHG Inventory and Climate Action................................................... 3
Climate Change Science ....................................................................................................................... 3
Climate Vulnerability in Detroit ......................................................................................................... 5
GHG Emissions Mitigation, Efficiency Improvements, and Cost Savings .......................... 6
GHG Inventory Framework .......................................................................................... 7
What is a GHG Inventory? ................................................................................................................... 7
Local GHG Inventory Protocols ......................................................................................................... 8
City of Detroit GHG Inventory ................................................................................... 10
Inventory Objectives ........................................................................................................................... 10
Overview of Detroit Inventory Analyses ...................................................................................... 12
Detroit Citywide Inventory ............................................................................................. 17
Overview ...................................................................................................................... 17
Buildings and Facilities ............................................................................................... 24
Transportation ............................................................................................................. 26
Industrial Process ........................................................................................................ 28
Solid Waste .................................................................................................................. 28
Wastewater Treatment ............................................................................................... 31
Land Use ....................................................................................................................... 33
Detroit Municipal Government Inventory Summary ................................................... 36
Methods ....................................................................................................................... 36
Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 36
Municipal Buildings and Facilities ................................................................................................. 37
Municipal Transportation, Solid Waste, and Wastewater Treatment .............................. 37
Results .......................................................................................................................... 37
Comparative Analysis of Detroit Citywide GHG Inventory Results............................ 43
Comparison to U.S. and State of Michigan .............................................................. 43
Comparison to Select North American Cities ........................................................... 44
Conclusions and Next Steps ........................................................................................... 48
Institutionalization of the GHG Inventory Process .................................................. 49
Communication of Detroit GHG Inventory Results ................................................. 51
GHG Inventory Data Collection ................................................................................. 51
GHG Inventory Data Analysis ..................................................................................... 52
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Activity-Specific Recommendations ......................................................................... 53
Buildings and Facilities ...................................................................................................................... 53
Transportation ...................................................................................................................................... 53
Industrial Process ................................................................................................................................. 53
Solid Waste ............................................................................................................................................ 54
Wastewater Treatment ...................................................................................................................... 54
Land Use ................................................................................................................................................. 55
Municipal Inventory Recommendations ................................................................... 55
Appendices....................................................................................................................... 56
Appendix A: Overview of GHG Inventory Scopes, Activities, and Sources ........... 56
Appendix B: Inventory Data Sources and Stakeholder Outreach .......................... 57
Appendix C: Citywide Inventory Emission Factors .................................................. 59
Appendix D: Citywide Building and Facilities End-Use Sector Categories ............ 60
Appendix E: Citywide Inventory Detailed Methods ................................................. 61
Buildings and Facilities ...................................................................................................................... 61
Transportation ...................................................................................................................................... 63
Industrial Process ................................................................................................................................. 67
Solid Waste ............................................................................................................................................ 68
Wastewater Treatment ...................................................................................................................... 69
Land Use ................................................................................................................................................. 70
Appendix F: Citywide Inventory Emissions Summary, 2011 and 2012 .................. 72
Appendix G: Citywide Inventory Results and Charts, 2011 .................................... 77
Appendix H: City of Detroit Municipal Departments and Service Categories ...... 80
Appendix I: Municipal Government Inventory Detailed Methods ......................... 82
Appendix J: Municipal Operations Emissions Summary, 2011 and 2012 .............. 83
Appendix K: Municipal Government Inventory Results and Charts, 2011 ............ 86
Appendix L: Comparative Analyses Summary Tables ............................................. 89
Appendix M: Avoided Emissions from Residential Recycling and Composting in
Detroit .......................................................................................................................... 91
Appendix N: Southeastern Michigan Analysis of Heating and Cooling Degree
Days .............................................................................................................................. 94
Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. 95
Agencies and Organizations ............................................................................................................ 95
Acronyms ................................................................................................................................................ 95
Glossary of Terms ........................................................................................................ 97
Resource List .............................................................................................................. 101
References .................................................................................................................. 102

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Detroit Citywide GHG Emissions by Activity ................................................................... xi
Figure 2: U.S., Detroit, and State of Michigan per Capita Emissions Comparison .................... xii
Figure 3: Comparison of Citywide Emissions from Select North American Cities .................... xiii
Figure 4: Detroit Municipal Operations GHG Emissions as a Percentage of Citywide, 2012 .. xiv
Figure 5: Illustration of the Greenhouse Effect ............................................................................ 4
Figure 6: Equation of Standard GHG Emissions Calculation in CO e.......................................... 7
2
Figure 7: A Metric Ton Shown in Proportion to a Person and a Tree .......................................... 8
Figure 8: What Is Included in the Detroit GHG Inventory? ......................................................... 11
Figure 9: Detroit Municipal Inventory as Subset of Citywide Inventory ..................................... 12
Figure 10: Detroit GHG Inventory System Boundary .................................................................. 14
Figure 11: Detroit Citywide GHG Emissions by Activity .............................................................. 19
Figure 12: Detroit Citywide GHG Emissions by Carrier, 2012 ................................................... 21
Figure 13: DTE Energy Electricity Generation Fuel Mix, 2012 ................................................... 21
Figure 14: Detroit Citywide Stationary GHG Emissions vs. Mobile GHG Emissions, 2012 ...... 23
Figure 15: Detroit Citywide Stationary GHG Emissions by Zip Code, 2012 .............................. 24
Figure 16: Detroit Citywide Buildings and Facilities GHG Emissions by End-Use Sector, 2012
....................................................................................................................................................... 25
Figure 17: Detroit Citywide Transportation GHG Emissions by Source, 2012 ......................... 27
Figure 18: Detroit Citywide GHG Emissions from Solid Waste Incineration and Landfill
Disposal ........................................................................................................................................ 29
Figure 19: Residential Solid Waste Collected by the City of Detroit Department of Public
Works by Weight ........................................................................................................................... 30
Figure 20: Detroit Citywide Wastewater Treatment GHG Emissions from Fugitive Sources,
Processes, and Incineration ........................................................................................................ 33
Figure 21: Detroit Citywide Land Cover, 2010 ........................................................................... 35
Figure 22: Detroit Municipal Operations GHG Emissions as a Percentage of Citywide, 2012 38
Figure 23: Detroit Municipal Operations GHG Emissions by Activity, 2012 ............................. 38
Figure 24: Detroit Municipal Operations GHG Emissions by Department, 2012 ..................... 39
Figure 25: Detroit Municipal Operations GHG Emissions by Activity and Department, 2012. 40
Figure 26: Detroit Municipal Operations GHG Emissions by Service, 2012 ............................ 42
Figure 27: U.S., Detroit, and State of Michigan per Capita Emissions...................................... 43
Figure 28: Comparison of Citywide Emissions from Select North American Cities .................. 45
Figure 29: Comparison of Citywide per Capita Emissions across Select North American Cities
....................................................................................................................................................... 46
Figure 30: GHG Inventory Scopes, Activities, and Sources ....................................................... 56
Figure 31: Detroit Citywide GHG Emissions by Carrier, 2011 ................................................... 77
Figure 32: Detroit Citywide Stationary vs. Mobile GHG Emissions, 2011 ................................ 78
Figure 33: Detroit Citywide Stationary GHG Emissions by Zip Code, 2011 .............................. 78
Figure 34: Detroit Citywide Buildings and Facilities GHG Emissions by End-Use Sector, 2011
....................................................................................................................................................... 79
Figure 35: Detroit Citywide Transportation GHG Emissions by Source, 2011 ......................... 79
Figure 36: Detroit Municipal Operations Emissions as a Percentage of Citywide, 2011 ........ 86
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Figure 37: Detroit Municipal Operations GHG Emissions by Activity, 2011 ............................. 86
Figure 38: Detroit Municipal Operations GHG Emissions by Department, 2011 ..................... 87
Figure 39: Detroit Municipal Operations GHG Emissions by Activity and Department, 2011. 87
Figure 40: Detroit Municipal Operations GHG Emissions by Service, 2011 ............................ 88
LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: GHGs Included in the Detroit Inventory ........................................................................ 15
Table 2: Global Warming Potentials of Detroit Inventory GHGs ................................................ 16
Table 3: Summary of Citywide Emissions Reported by Scope ................................................... 20
Table 4: CO Produced from Fossil Fuel Generated Electricity .................................................. 22
2
Table 5: Citywide Inventory Data Summary and Sources .......................................................... 57
Table 6: Stakeholder Organizations Consulted during Inventory Project ................................. 58
Table 7: Emission Factors Summary ........................................................................................... 59
Table 8: End-Use Sector Categories for Building and Facilities Analysis .................................. 60
Table 9: Electricity and Natural Gas Emission Factors .............................................................. 62
Table 10: Transportation Fuels Emission Factors ...................................................................... 66
Table 11: Residential Solid Waste Collected by City of Detroit Department of Public Works . 68
Table 12: Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Summary of Biosolids Incinerated at
Wastewater Treatment Plant ....................................................................................................... 69
Table 13: City of Detroit Comparison for 2011 and 2012 ........................................................ 72
Table 14: Citywide Emissions Summary Reported by Scope .................................................... 72
Table 15: Citywide Inventory Results Summary, 2012 .............................................................. 73
Table 16: Citywide Inventory Results Summary, 2011 .............................................................. 74
Table 17: Citywide Stationary Source Emissions by Zip Code, ranked by 2012 emissions .... 75
Table 18: City of Detroit Residential Solid Waste Collection ..................................................... 76
Table 19: Wastewater Treatment Emissions Results, 2005 and 2010 ................................... 76
Table 20: City of Detroit Municipal Departments and Budget Code Key .................................. 80
Table 21: Service Organizational Categories for Municipal Operations Analysis ..................... 81
Table 22: City of Detroit Total Municipal Operations Emissions by Activity and Top
Departments ................................................................................................................................. 83
Table 23: Municipal Operations Emissions by Department, ranked by 2012 ......................... 84
Table 24: Municipal Operations Transportation GHG Emissions by Department, Ranked by
2012 .............................................................................................................................................. 85
Table 25: Select North American Cities Emissions Comparison ............................................... 89
Table 26: National and State of Michigan Comparison ............................................................. 90
Table 27: City of Detroit Residential Solid Waste Emissions and Avoided Emissions from
Recycling and Compost ................................................................................................................ 91
Table 28: Detroit Residential Solid Waste and Recycling Emission Factors. ........................... 92
Table 29: Southeastern Michigan Analysis of Heating and Cooling Degree Days ................... 94

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